- Date
- May 31, 2010, 20:30 local (Jun 1, 2010, 04:30 UTC)
- Place
- Port Alsworth, AK
- Injuries
- 2 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Takeoff
- Aircraft
- N9217DPiper PA-22-160
- Defining event
- Takeoff: Collision during takeoff/land
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report December 20, 2010
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- Alaska Regional Office
- Parties
- FAA Flight Standards District Office
- FAA report
- 20100531035439A
- Case key
- 76165
From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.
On this page
Probable cause
The pilot's selection of unsuitable terrain for takeoff and inability to abort the takeoff, resulting in an overrun into the water.
Findings · 2
NTSB’s coded findings. Those marked are part of the probable cause; the rest are factors or other findings. Under each, the cases with the same finding.
Sequence of events
The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event is the one that best describes the accident. Under each, the cases with the same event anywhere in their sequence.
Analysis
The pilot was departing from a gravel bar when the accident occurred. He stated that prior to the takeoff he examined the gravel bar for the firmest ground for the takeoff roll. After the tail came up during the takeoff roll, the pilot realized that he was not aligned along his intended takeoff path. The pilot was not able to abort the takeoff roll and rolled from the gravel bar to the water. The airplane came to rest in the water inverted, resulting in substantial damage to both wings and the empennage. The pilot verified that there were no mechanical anomalies with the airplane prior to the accident.
Factual narrative
The pilot was departing from a gravel bar (1,200 feet long as estimated by the pilot, sand and gravel) on a Title 14 CFR Part 91 personal flight when the accident occurred. He stated that prior to the takeoff he examined the gravel bar for the firmest ground for the takeoff roll. After the tail came up, during the takeoff roll, the pilot realized that he was not aligned along his intended takeoff path. The pilot was not able to abort the takeoff roll and rolled from the gravel bar to the water. The airplane came to rest in the water inverted resulting in substantial damage to both wings and the empennage. The pilot verified that there were no mechanical anomalies with the airplane prior to the accident.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N9217D
- Reported as
- Piper PA-22-160
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 22-6277
- Airframe hours
- 2,639
- Engine
- Lycoming O-320-A2B, 150 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · May 9, 2009
- Departed
- PALJ · Port Alsworth, AK
- Destination
- Port Alsworth, AK
- Flight plan
- Unknown
Matched to the registry by N-number and the event date; the registry’s history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.
Flight crew
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 21
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land, Multi-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 2, Without waivers/limitations
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 565 total · 264 in this make and model · 466 as pilot in command · 23 in the last 90 days · 23 in the last 30 days · 3 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 360° at 6 knots
- Visibility
- 30 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 25,000 ft broken
- Temperature
- 66 °F, dew point 46 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.51 inHg
- Observed at
- PALJ, 21 nm away
Docket · 1
The files NTSB released with the investigation on September 7, 2010, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 998 KB in all.
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.